Search
ENRU
Sign in
ENRU
Sign in

How to uninstall Zotero on Mac completely

Zotero keeps your library — items, PDFs and notes — in a separate folder that stays on your Mac when you delete the app. Here is how to remove Zotero itself, the browser Connector and the word processor plugin, and the settings and caches it leaves behind, without losing your research.

Uninstaller: a list of apps sorted by size with when each was last opened, Google Chrome selected with its app and cache sizes
  1. Open MacWashing and choose Uninstaller in the sidebar.
  2. Click Show Apps and check Zotero in the list.
  3. Click Remove and confirm. Files that may be yours are listed as Possible and stay unchecked.
Download MacWashingHow it works

Free trial · macOS 14 or later

Before you start: find and back up your library

Zotero’s own documentation says that uninstalling Zotero doesn’t remove its data folder. Still, find it and make a copy before you clean up by hand.

  1. Open Zotero and open its settings.
  2. In the Advanced tab, click Show Data Directory. By default it is ~/Zotero.
  3. Copy that whole folder to an external disk or another safe place.

If you use Zotero sync, your library data is also kept in your zotero.org account. Attachment files are there only if file syncing was turned on.

Delete Zotero in Finder

Zotero has no separate uninstaller: you remove it like any other app.

  1. Quit Zotero: right-click its icon in the Dock and choose Quit.
  2. Open Finder › Applications and drag Zotero to the Trash.
  3. Enter your administrator password if macOS asks for it.

The Zotero Connector for Safari comes inside the Zotero app, so it goes with it. Connectors for other browsers and the word processor plugin are removed separately, see below.

What Zotero leaves behind

Check these places in the Library folder inside your home folder:

  • ~/Library/Application Support/Zotero — Zotero’s profile: settings and installed plugins.
  • ~/Library/Caches/Zotero — the cache.
  • ~/Library/Preferences/org.zotero.zotero.plist — app settings.
  • ~/Library/Saved Application State/org.zotero.zotero.savedState — saved window state.
  • ~/Library/Containers/org.zotero.zotero.SafariWebExtension and ~/Library/Application Scripts/org.zotero.zotero.SafariWebExtension — data of the Safari Connector.
  • ~/Library/Containers/org.zotero.zotero.SafariExtension and ~/Library/Containers/org.zotero.SafariExtensionApp.SafariExtension — data of other versions of the Safari Connector.

Your library is in ~/Zotero (or the folder you chose in the settings): the zotero.sqlite file with your items and notes and the storage folder with your PDFs and other attachments. These are your files, not leftovers: keep the folder, or delete it only after you have a backup.

Remove the leftovers by hand

  1. In Finder, choose Go › Go to Folder (Shift-Command-G), type a path from the list above and press Return.
  2. Move the folder or file to the Trash.
  3. Repeat for the other paths.
  4. Restart your Mac, then empty the Trash.

Zotero isn’t the only app that leaves files behind: see how to uninstall apps on Mac completely.

Remove the browser Connector and the word processor plugin

  • Zotero Connector in Chrome, Firefox or Edge: remove it from the browser’s Extensions page.
  • Word plugin: delete Zotero.dotm from Word’s Startup folder and restart Word.
  • LibreOffice plugin: in LibreOffice choose Tools › Extension Manager…, select Zotero LibreOffice Integration and click Remove.
  • Google Docs: the integration is part of the Zotero Connector and goes with it.

With MacWashing, it’s one click

Uninstaller: a list of apps sorted by size with when each was last opened, Google Chrome selected with its app and cache sizes

The Uninstaller in MacWashing knows the files Zotero creates in your Library folder, the Safari Connector’s folders included, and removes them together with the app. Folders that may hold your own files, like your Zotero library, are listed as Possible and stay unchecked until you check them yourself.

Download MacWashingHow it works

Free trial · macOS 14 or later

Questions and answers

Will MacWashing delete my own files when it removes Zotero?

No. The Uninstaller checks only what belongs to the app: its settings, caches, logs and background items. Folders that may hold your own files are listed as Possible and stay unchecked until you check them yourself, and apps go to the Trash by default, so you can put them back.

What if Zotero is still running?

MacWashing waits for it to quit, or quits it at your request, and only then removes its files.

Is it free to uninstall Zotero with MacWashing?

Yes, within the free trial: System Junk and the Uninstaller free up to 25 GB in total, with no account or card needed.

Does uninstalling Zotero delete my library?

No. Deleting the app leaves the Zotero data folder (by default ~/Zotero) in place, with your items, PDFs and notes. It disappears only if you delete that folder yourself.

Is my library still in my Zotero account after I uninstall?

If you used Zotero sync, yes: your items, notes and collections stay on zotero.org. Attachment files are kept there only if file syncing was on. Otherwise they exist only in the local data folder.

Can I reinstall Zotero later and get my library back?

Yes. Install Zotero again: it opens the data folder at its default place. If you moved it, point Zotero to it in the Advanced tab of the settings, or sign in to sync it back.